


Plead Thy Case

by japansace



Series: My Love, We Deserve the Softest Eternity [22]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Ace Attorney: Yuri!!! on Ice Edition, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Elves, Humor, King Victor Nikiforov, M/M, Magic, Protective Katsuki Yuuri, Queen Yuuri Katsuki, Threats of Violence, yes both of those things can exist in a fic at the same time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26883307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/japansace/pseuds/japansace
Summary: Victor looks on, at Yuuri pacing before him. “You have those notes memorized,” he says, to try to quell his darling’s fears.“I know.” Yuuri turns his papers over, as though to find some hidden scrawling on the back that he might have missed. “I just… I have to argue thisright. You know what’s at stake.”
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Series: My Love, We Deserve the Softest Eternity [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1133426
Comments: 48
Kudos: 196





	Plead Thy Case

**Author's Note:**

> I know I literally posted a fic just yesterday in this series, but once I started writing down notes for this, I just couldn’t _stop_.
> 
> Ages: 
> 
> Victor: 4783  
> Yuuri: 4743  
> Yuki: 2

If it were up to Victor, they would not here, where there are now.

Not that Victor takes any umbrage with Sealand. The weather is always fair, and it’s nice to visit Yuuri’s parents and sister. Every corner of the kingdom is riddled with fond memories, in fact; but the circumstances behind their current presence trend more towards the business side of things, as opposed to the pleasure.

It is time once again for the rulers of the three elven domains to meet and discuss the issues of the moment.

Victor bounces Yuki on his lap, while they wait to be admitted into the council room. She’s a fun age: just turned two and a burst of energy, running around on bare feet and babbling nonsense that’s only semi-coherent. Victor asked Yuuri, once, what it sounded like in her mind; but Yuuri only grimaced and claimed it made his brain “feel like it is being kicked around like a ball.” So he didn’t ask again.

“Awoo?” Yuki says, looking behind her at her papa. It’s her word for dog, an emulation of their howls.

“No, baby, not here.” They’d had to leave the dogs at home, in traveling. Yuki just _adores_ them.

She only pouts at this, sticking most of her hand into her mouth.

Victor looks on, at Yuuri pacing before him. “You have those notes memorized,” he says, to try to quell his darling’s fears.

“I know.” Yuuri turns his papers over, as though to find some hidden scrawling on the back that he might have missed. “I just… I have to argue this _right._ You know what’s at stake.”

“I do.” Victor smiles, as Yuki pulls at some of his hair. “But thinking it over again and again is not going to make anything different.”

Yuuri sits down beside him, drawing a nervous hand down Yuki’s back. “You're right… You’re right, of course.”

Victor leans over, to kiss him. “You’ll do great. You have the very best of intentions at heart.”

Yuuri nods but still chews at a fingernail.

“You can come in now,” a guard tells them, in opening the door to the conference room.

Yuuri marches in before Victor and Yuki, singularly focused as he is.

It will just be the six of them, not counting Yuki, but the low quantity does not equate to quality. They’re the highest ranking elves upon the continent and not to be trifled with—but they are, however, all newer to their positions than the monarchs that came before them. King Takeshi and Queen Yuuko of Sealand are the oldest at the table, elected in by their subjects some two thousand years ago. Sealand boasts the only true democracy in attendance, and as such, they’re two gentle spirits who rule more by suggestion than anything, taking well advantage of the kingdom between them with easily the least amount of political turmoil.

King Michele and Co-King Sara of Sunland represent the youngest of them: twins who won their right to the throne just fifty years ago, bizarrely ending their bout in a tie. Goddess only knows what will happen, when one of them takes a partner; not that Yuuri and Victor really care to be in attendance when such a thing occurs. It was out their jurisdiction, besides.

And King Victor and Queen Yuuri of Woodland round them out, nearing a millennium into their rule.

They all sit at the long table, settling in for what would prove to be a trying day.

Queen Yuuko clears her throat; she and Takeshi are the hosts, this time, and thus, will act as arbiters during the meeting. “Then, before we begin… does anyone have an issue they would like to bring before us?”

“I have one,” Yuuri says, standing with his notes.

Victor doesn’t miss how Michele rolls his eyes, at his husband’s earnestness.

Yuuri, however, thankfully doesn’t seem to catch it. “It’s about Minako—or rather, it’s about _all of us_.” He lowers his eyes from his papers, with a small swallow. “All mind talents. Even if there’s just the two of us… that does not mean there will not someday be more. We—Victor and I—argued successfully a thousand years ago to allow Minako back into elven society, if she were to balance her time between the kingdoms evenly, but I no longer think that’s enough.”

He pauses, sets down his notes to speak from the heart. “It’s—well, frankly, it’s _ridiculous._ To banish someone over their talent… Who is to say mind is stronger than ice, fire, water, _anything_? It sets a bad precedent. A talent does not make someone inherently dangerous; it is what they do with said talent that speaks to their character.

“Furthermore, I am a mind talent, and no one has called for my banishment.”

“Your presence is maintained by a _technicality—_ ”

“Shut up, Michele.”

Oh. Perhaps Yuuri noticed after all, Victor thinks, cooing at Yuki in his lap.

“We need to be rid of this ludicrous ruling before another mind talent comes along. What if, tomorrow, a toddler were to read their parents’ thoughts? Would we just immediately send them out into the woods, to fend for themselves? We are rather fortunate that hasn't happened yet, given the circumstances.

“What if _Yuki_ —” Yuuri points back, at his child. “— _my daughter Yuki_ were to present as a mind talent? Would you all maintain a clear conscience, sending her away?”

Michele leans back in his chair, with a huff. “She wouldn't be sent away. She falls under the same loophole as you.” He draws a finger through the air, as though physically connecting his words together. “You were allowed to stay in Woodland because you’re _royalty_ , and therefore, _belong_ to Woodland. We—or rather, the monarchs before us—decided that was allowed, as you were then classified along the same lines of the enchanted forest: a thing _,_ a natural asset to the environment. Crown Prince Yuki would classify in exactly same way.”

“Is that what you see us as?” Yuuri shakes now, with a barely-concealed fury. “A _thing_?”

“No.” Michele holds out his hands, in a placating gesture. “No, no, _certainly_ not. That’s just what’s on the _books._ You know, the way Sunland’s previous rulers wrote around it.” He shrugs his shoulders, as though the issue is entirely out of his hands. “We have to follow the law of the land, don’t we?”

“We make the law of the land, you uncultured wretch.”

“All right, all right!” Yuuko lays a hand across Michele’s chest, as he goes to stand. “Now everybody just _calm down._ ”

“You want to fight?” The air around Michele crackles: the thunder before the storm. “Because, oh, you’ll _get one._ ”

“I could take you with both my hands and feet tied behind my back,” Yuuri says, eyes flickering crimson.

“ _No fighting_ ,” Takeshi says, waving his hands. The spring water outside the window swells with his unease, the streams surging into rushing rivers. “We’re going to be _civil._ Yuuri, please finish pleading your case.”

Yuuri clears his throat, just slightly. “Thank you.” He picks up one of his papers, as though to remember his place. “As I said before, it is an elf’s character that defines them, not their ability. My threats to King Michele notwithstanding, mind talents are not inherently violent. I have—” Yuuri shakes out a folded piece of parchment, that accordions nearly to the floor. “—compiled a list of seven hundred sixty-four separate grievances involving talents _other_ than the mind that resulted in disciplinary action only in the time since Victor and I took over Woodland’s throne, as evidence.”

“Sweet goddess on _high_.”

“There is also the fact that Minako has lived peacefully now for over four thousand years in isolation, an upstanding citizen despite her estrangement. If we’re not going to be as bad as _humans_ , separating ourselves by personal habits or appearances or ability, then we need to exemplify it.

“In conclusion—” Yuuri rolls up the paper. “—that is my case, and Michele irks me. That is all.”

“That last part wasn’t really necessary, Yuuri,” Yuuko says, smiling through a strained tone.

“Yes, but I still felt the need to say it.” Yuuri sits beside Victor finally, petting Yuki on the head.

“Well.” Takeshi pauses, considers. “Shall we break for lunch?”

“Oh, let’s cut through all the _bullshit_.”

“Sara—”

“No, you know what? Yuuri is right.” Sara stands, with both hands upon the table. “His case is very well researched and thorough. It’s a stupid rule _anyway._ Let’s just get rid of it, yes?”

“I haven’t even argued the opposing side yet—”  
  
“I say let’s cast a vote. All in favor?” Yuuko, Takeshi, Yuuri, Victor—even Yuki, Victor holding up her chubby little hand—and Sara demonstrate their approval. Sara glares at her brother, openly. “All _against_?”  
  
“I’m abstaining,” Michele says, with crossed arms.

“Then the matter is settled.” She shoots a small lightning bolt at table, audibly splintering the wood. “This council is adjourned.”

* * *

“You were so wonderful in there,” Victor says, pressing kisses all over and around the skin of Yuuri’s mouth. The latter giggles, gleefully, at the ticklish sensation, as Yuki is passed into his arms. “My darling, a pinnacle of justice! Oh, we have to tell Minako the good news! I should grab a pen this very second and write to her, don’t you think?”  
  
“Yes, you should do that,” Yuuri says, smiling down at Yuki as she gets her little arms around his neck. He sits upon the bed and rocks her, as Victor takes a seat himself at the desk.

“You were a bit more ruthless to King Michael than I originally thought you would be, I must admit,” Victor says, in smoothing out a paper.

“ _Michele._ ” But Yuuri only shrugs. “He’ll be gone within the century, just watch. I have good intuition about these things.”

“Oh, _really?_ ” Victor looks at him, coyly.

Yuuri’s eyes flicker playfully. “Yes, really.”

As Victor sets himself to writing, Yuuri takes a long, slow breath, then holds Yuki out—up—before his face. She’s sleepy but aware—and blinks more awakeness into herself besides, with the sudden movement and attention on her. “I did it for Minako of course, but… I also did it for you,” he tells her, soft. “You know… just _in case_.”

She seems to consider this, with a tilt of the head. Then she takes a hand out of her mouth to bat him against the cheek, sending spittle everywhere. “Mama!”

“Yes…” Yuuri holds her dear, holds her _close._ “I’m your mama. And _nothing_ is going to happen to you under my watch.”

Victor stops in his writing, to join in holding both his loves tight.

**Author's Note:**

> Guess I lied about not going in chronological order, sdfghjkl;
> 
> Next one's gonna be a throwback though: to their honeymoon after their (first) wedding. 
> 
> Oh, yes. There will be spice.
> 
> (Also, no, "Crown Prince Yuki" is not a typo. That's her title, in the same vein as Yuuri being queen.)


End file.
